Pennsylvania kicked off their inaugural Construction Opioid Awareness Week, which will run from July 22 to July 28.

The state is asking construction companies to participate by holding educational sessions about opioids, informing employees of nearby prescription drug drop-off locations and engaging in other activities.  The week was made official with the passage of House Resolution 981 in June.

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According to data obtained from a report by CAN and published in Forbes, as many as 20 percent of medication prescribed to construction workers are opioids.  That is five to ten percent higher than any other industry represented.  Experts believe the physical nature of the industry and aging workforce are likely the cause.